Lonely "Virgin Mary" Shark Proves Her Species Doesn't Need Males Either
Scientists have reported in the Journal of Fish Biology (a real page turner) that for the second time, a lonely lady shark in captivity has given birth to a shark pup. Yes, folks that's right a girl shark who has not come in contact with any boy sharks has become a mom! Astonishing!
Actually, it turns out that this blacktip shark is just harkening back to her primordial roots and parthenogenesis to reproduce asexually. According to one shark expert quoted in the LA Times, sharks were the first vertebrate species to have "penetrative sex" so it's likely that evolutionarily speaking that they also had the capacity at some point in their evolutionary history the ability to asexually reproduce--which is what, I'm calling, virgin Mar has done in her male-less existence.
Just another species to prove that males aren't essential to their survival. Wondering which one will be next?
Summer Johnson, PhD
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I don't think this good news -- If I remember correctly, parthenogenesis usually occurs as sort of a reproductive effort of last resort, in species threatened with extinction -- it's likely to weaken shark populations because the newborn pups have less diverse genetic material and diversity is a plus in evolution. Huh, gives the phrase "Vive la difference!" an altogether new meaning, doesn't it?
- by Linda MacDonald Glenn on Oct 16, 2008 at 8:49 PM | link